USA declares readiness to impose targeted sanctions against Russia

The USA is ready to impose targeted sanctions against Russia regarding its latest actions towards Ukraine. This says a statement released by the White House after a telephone conversation between President Barack Obama, French president, German chancellor and prime ministers of the UK and Italy.

President Obama “spoke with President Hollande of France, Chancellor Merkel of Germany, Prime Minister Renzi of Italy, and Prime Minister Cameron of the UK to consult about the alarming situation in eastern Ukraine,” the statement says. “The leaders noted the positive steps that Ukraine had taken to move forward on the actions to which it committed in the April 17 joint statement by Ukraine, Russia, the European Union, and the United States — including proposing an amnesty law for those who will peacefully leave the buildings they have seized in eastern Ukraine, supporting the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and committing themselves once again to a process of constitutional reform and decentralization.”

“The leaders also agreed that Russia had not reciprocated - including by not publicly supporting the Geneva accord, nor calling on armed militant groups to lay down their arms and leave the government buildings they’ve occupied,” the statement has it. Moreover, The White House claims that Russia “continued to escalate the situation through its increasingly concerning rhetoric and threatening military exercises on Ukraine’s border.”

“The President noted that the United States is prepared to impose targeted sanctions to respond to Russia’s latest actions,” the statement says. “The leaders agreed to work closely together, and through the G7 and European Union, to co-ordinate additional steps to impose costs on Russia.”

The statement says further that “leaders underscored that Russia could still choose a peaceful resolution to the crisis, including by implementing the Geneva accord”.

Elysee Palace statement

“The Heads of State and Government called for the country's "seven" to the rapid reaction (developments in Ukraine) and pointed at the possibility to impose new sanctions against Russia,” statement reports.Leaders of the US, UK, Germany, Italy and France spoke in favor of the adoption of new sanctions against Russia, Elysee Palace announced on Friday. The statement said that the French president Francois Hollande held telephone talks with US President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, prime ministers of Italy and the UK Matteo Renzi and David Cameron.

Germany forced to consider expanding sanctions against Russia because of the lack of progress in Ukraine. This statement was made today by German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a press conference with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.